Open house: What needs to be done to improve basic civic amenities?
Participation of masses crucial
In any urban environment, the quality of infrastructure has a significant impact on residents’ daily lives. Bad roads, missing streetlights, stray animals and encroachments are more than just inconveniences; they jeopardise safety, health and overall quality of life. Potholes and poorly-maintained roads can lead to accidents, increased vehicle damage and extended commute times. Inadequate lighting raises safety concerns because poorly lit streets can become hotspots for criminal activity, leaving residents feeling vulnerable and afraid to walk outside after dark. The presence of stray animals can make the environment unsafe. Stray dogs, in particular, endanger pedestrians and disrupt the neighbourhood’s natural equilibrium, causing additional complications. Illegal construction and encroachment on public land impede access to critical services while increasing urban congestion. These impediments can slow down emergency vehicles and reduce the effectiveness of public transportation. Furthermore, encroachments can exacerbate environmental issues such as drainage problems, which can lead to flooding during the rains. To address these infrastructure issues, cities must become safer, healthier and more livable. Community involvement and government initiatives are critical for accelerating progress and ensuring that every citizen has the right to a safe and accessible city.
Novin Christopher
MC doing its bit, public support must
NO laxity is tolerated in terms of sanitation and providing basic civic amenities to residents and strict instructions have been issued to the staff regarding the same. The horticulture staff has also been directed to ensure cleanliness in parks and green belts across the city. Officials concerned have been directed to monitor the situation on a daily basis and I myself am conducting surprise inspections to take stock of the situation. Maintaining cleanliness is a team work. The MC is doing its job and the residents should also put in their efforts into the same. I also appeal to the residents to submit a complaint with the civic body officials if they face any problem regarding sweeping, door-to-door collection or issues regarding any civic amenities such as streetlights, parks and encroachments. The residents should also understand their moral duty and stop dumping waste in vacant plots/ open spaces and support the authorities in solid waste management. — Aaditya Dachalwal, MC Commissioner
Question for next week
In what appears to be a reflection on the working of his own party’s government, the ruling AAP’s supremo Arvind Kejriwal in Ludhiana on Friday admitted that drugs remained the biggest problem in Punjab. He said the state government was working hard but without the public support, Punjab cannot be freed of drugs. What should be done to free the border state of drug menace?
Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to ludhianadesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (November 14)
Need to divide city in more zones
Water supply and sanitation, roads and drains, streetlights, collection and disposal of solid waste, maintenance of public places, burial grounds and crematoria, cattle pounds, registration of births and deaths, parks, fire tender services and healthcare centres — the availability of these civic amenities among Ludhiana residents is not evenly distributed. Some people have access to all of these amenities, while others do not. Without a doubt, it is the primary responsibility of the local government, but residents must also maintain and restore these basic civic amenities. There are a variety of measures and suggestions that the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation could implement to provide basic civic amenities to its residents. The civic body has already divided the city into four zones, each with its own set of facilities, but more divisions are required to effectively implement the corporation’s various schemes. There must be one nominated member per street to record complaints and problems to ensure smooth operation of all of these facilities. If there is a problem, the person should report it to the authorities, who should resolve it within the timeframe specified. Before carpeting the road in the area concerned, authorities should focus on connections for telephone, sewerage, electricity and water. Residents must assist the local government in maintaining civic amenities.
Dr Mohd Saleem Farooqui
each locality should have one park
Civic amenities are the backbone of any city. Local governments should provide all of these services at reasonable and affordable prices to all citizens, rich and poor. A proper lighting system and sewerage facilities should be available at the level of the smallest administrative unit. Wires should not be dangling and should be underground. Each area must have a water tank capable of meeting its needs. The local government should carpet roads in each area, and anyone who digs after that should face a heavy fine. Each area should have its own site where all of its citizens can organise functions. The civic body should establish one nodal office within two kilometres of an area where the nominated person can lodge a complaint. There should be proper garbage lifting facilities available. Those who do not have these facilities in their area can make requests online, via email, or WhatsApp, and they will be addressed immediately. Each area must have at least one park. We must help the local government restore and maintain these facilities.
Farzana Khan
Deliver amenities to migrants
Multiple issues faced by Ludhiana, such as the cleanliness of roads and streetlights, stray animals and encroachments, have been listed, and suggestions have been invited to improve the condition of basic life amenities. There are numerous other issues to address. The city’s roads are in a bad condition. These roads are poorly maintained, and they develop potholes during the monsoon, when water accumulates and causes problems for the residents. All roads must be properly maintained and repaired immediately following the rainy season, as well as when needed otherwise, using high-quality construction materials. Seasonal diseases are about to raise their ugly head. To treat patients suffering from these diseases, both the government and private hospitals must provide proper facilities. Patients suffering from these diseases must receive free medications. Environmental pollution remains an important issue for the city/state. To protect people from pollution, the burning of paddy straw in fields surrounding the city must be stopped. The city is experiencing an increase in unauthorised building construction. This contributes to pollution and must be monitored. The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation must become more active in order to provide better civic facilities to the residents of this community. This is the primary responsibility of the corporation. The city’s population is growing on a daily basis as a result of labour migrating from other states. Housing, food and clothing are the three necessities of life. Everything must be done to provide them these three necessities. These are critical areas for improvement in order to provide basic life amenities to
the population.
Gautam Dev
Ensure illumination to combat crime
Despite repeated media coverage, the civic authorities have failed to facilitate any significant improvement in the conditions of basic civil amenities being provided to the residents. Most of the roads in and around Ludhiana are in shambles. The potholes and wide pits in the roads pose a great risk to the commuters. A joint effort by the MC and NHAI is required for improving the road infrastructure in the city. Material used in road construction should be regularly tested by the officials concerned. The contractors should be held accountable for maintaining the quality of roads for at least 10 years. Besides, faulty streetlights have made the residents vulnerable to petty crimes such as snatching and stabbing. These lights should be repaired immediately. The conventional streetlights should be replaced with LED ones as it helps save energy besides reducing the carbon emission. This will ensure proper illumination to combat crime. Further, roadside encroachments by shopkeepers and stall owners have mushroomed in various markets, causing traffic snarls and parking hassles. Awareness should be created among the shopkeepers for following the norms and the MC should issue challans to the erring shopkeepers and vendors. The tehbazari wing of MC should keep a regular check on the encroachers and remove the encroachments in the market areas. The MC should also set-up shelters for stray dogs outside the civic body limits and relocate all stray dogs to these shelters in a phased manner. The targets fixed for sterilisation of dogs must be completed to get rid of the menace. The roaming cattle should be transported to gaushalas and MC shelters.
RS Sembhi
This calls for collaboration
Improving fundamental civic facilities needs a multifaceted approach that includes pre-emptive planning, efficient implementation and active citizen participation. Robust waste management systems, which include frequent collection and disposal, are essential for sustaining cleanliness. Well-maintained roads, lighting and pathways improve safety and accessibility. Encroachment regulations must be strictly enforced in order to prevent unauthorised use of public space. Humane and responsible animal birth control strategies can help to regulate stray animal populations. Regular inspections and repair of infrastructure are critical to ensuring optimal performance. Furthermore, transparent and accountable governance structures are required to address citizens’ concerns and prioritise prompt responses. Significant improvements in basic civic facilities can be made by prioritising these characteristics and cultivating a feeling of community ownership, resulting in a higher quality of life for people.
Tamanpreet Kaur Khangura
Long way to go to make Ludhiana smart
The answer is both yes and no. The smart city project has surely created great urban features such as flyovers, multiple complexes, parks, etc, but the issue is that the main civic issues remain unaddressed. The roads are still full of potholes as they are easily weatherable when the rains come. The development of the city centre still seems like a far-fetched dream. Areas like Salem Tabri, Shivpuri, Haibowal, etc, still face sewage and standing water issues. Many recreational projects still remain untouched by the authorities concerned. The city lacks major infrastructure especially proper green areas. There are very few areas where citizens don’t face sanitation problems. So there is still a long way to go to make our Ludhiana a devolved smart city.
Kirandeep Kaur
